When we're Together
by whitewind04578
Summary: Temari is a high ranked nin from Suna, as well as being the current Kazekage's sister. Shikamaru Nara is from an esteemed clan, as well as the heir of the Nara clan. When Tsunade and Gaara decide to bring Suna and Konaha closer, these two get thrown together. For life.
1. Chapter 1

_**So, this is my second ShikaTema fic. R &R, please! I'd like to evaluate my writing skills. Anyway, I apologize for any and all OOC-ness. It is bound and determined to happen, anyway. Well, enjoy. Or not. Either way, do you things, readers!**_

Shikamaru Nara wasn't lazy. No, not at all.

He was just . . . unmotivated and unconvinced. When _convinced and motivated_ enough, he got the job done. That being said . . .

 _"_ _SHIKAMARU!"_

The said person froze, desperately begging the very things that were his weapons to hide him. But, no. Shadows are fickle things.

"There you are!" Temari thundered, striding down the street, her fan glint almost ominously in the afternoon light.

Shika sighed, turning to face the teal-eyed fury.

"Yo, Temari. What brings you . . . up around . . . this, uh . . . way?" he gestured at the main part of Leaf Village.

The anger on her face melted away, leaving a smile so angelic, that the very winged creatures were probably congratulating her on the success of mastering that technique.

"Oh, you know, the usual, _JUST LOOKING FOR A CERTAIN SOMEONE!_ "

"Ah, hehe. You see . . . the . . . uh . . . there was a . . . umm . . . I lost my uh . . . a black cat crossed my path and I had to take the long way around," he blurted out, scratching the back of his head.

The blond's face fell and she grumbled into the palm of her hand, shaking her head.

"Have you been taking lessons from Kakashi?"

Shikamaru's eyes widened, indignant.

"Of course not! My excuses are way better than his."

"Whatever you want to think, Shikamaru. C'mon, Gaara and Hokage-sama are waiting to give us our missions."

"This is such a drag, Temari."

"Aheh, come on, lazybutt." she slapped him over the head, then trudged towards the Hokage tower.

"Fine," Shikamaru stuffed he hands in his pockets, glaring at the back of her jacket.

 _ **A little while later . . .**_

The fifth Hokage stared down at us, her almond brown eyes narrowed. Beside her, sat the Kazekage of Suna, Gaara of the Desert.

"Temari, Shikamaru," Gaara's husky voice carried in the room and he stared down at them, his black lined, icy blue eyes emotionless. "Lady Hokage the fifth* would like to strengthen the ties between Suna and Konaha."

Shikamaru felt a sinking feeling in his gut as he stared at he two most(apparently) skilled nins in Konaha and Suna.

"Yes, Lord and Lady Kazekage and Hokage." said Temari faithfully, as she bowed.

"So," Tsunade butted in, giving Gaara a look that said, _get on with it._ "We decided on an arranged marriage, between an esteemed clan heir in Konaha and a high ranking nin in Suna."

Now it was Gaara's turn to tell her with his eyes to, _stop dancing around the real matter._

Shikamaru clenched his fists tighter, dreading the next words.

"So, that nin and that heir is standing in this room."

"No! I'm sorry, Hokage-sama, but I can not comply with what you are saying!" Shika burst out, his brown eyes blazing.

Understanding dawned on Temari's face and a similar fury lit on her face as she turned to Gaara, outrage on her lips.

Tsunade raised a hand. "You have no choice, Shikamaru. If you refuse this order, I will have to punish you as seen fit."

The Nara boy's face grew closed and he tightly bowed, hands clenched at his sides. "Very well, Lady Hokage. When is the ceremony?"

"Now," Gaara spoke, staring down at an openly hostile Temari with some akin to regret in his blue eyes.

Temari's teal eyes filled with tears and she slumped against the wall, rubbing her palms against her eyes fiercely.

"Come on, Temari. We don't have a choice, you heard the fifth Hokage."

Tsunade winced at the coldness in Shikamaru's voice as he glanced over his shoulder at her.

Tsunade stood, handing the two of them velvety boxes. Temari stared down at it, then opened it hesitantly.

Shika copied, looking down at the wedding band of delicate silver with an expression of . . . distaste?

"Shikamaru, put the ring on Temari's ring finger, and Temari, do the same," Gaara kept his voice carefully devoid of emotion as he stared at the two of them.

They complied, glancing at each other with a connecting sense of fury at the Kazekage and the Hokage.

Tsunade winced again, but followed through, with a simple,

"I announce you man and wife. You may, er, kiss the bride." Temari arched a brow at the other, silently daring him to.

"I'd rather not," he said, instead staring down at the broad, silver band on his finger.

The Hokage leaned forward, giving them a wide, white envelope.

"There's a key to a house and directions to it. WE felt that was the least we could do. Also, the house payment is paid for the next year." If Tsunade had been standing, she would've shuffled her feet awkwardly, but she just looked down at her desk, then back up at the two newly-weds.

"I welcome you, Temari-san, to Konaha."


	2. Chapter 2

An awkwardness seemed to follow the two 'newly weds' down the street, dust swirling around their feet.

Above them, the sky rumbled, gray and dark.

Rain was on the way.

"So, Temari." Shikamaru shuffled the paper to the other hand, grimacing. "We're stuck together. For, ah, life."

The scowl on her face was deadly.

"No dur, idiot!" she snarled.

Shika rolled his eyes, still walking.

"Calm down, Temari."

Her eye twitched, and she turned, and promptly slapped the dark haired man.

" _CALM DOWN?! I JUST MARRIED YOU AND YOU WANT ME TO CALM DOWN?!"_

Shikamaru looked steadily back at her, a red hand print forming on his cheek.

Her teal eyes narrowed, and she looked away. "Sorry." she muttered, then continued walking away.

Shikamaru caught up quickly, and they proceeded in silence, til they reached the address on the paper.

Shaking the keys from the bottom of the envelope, Temari unlocked the door, hating the way her 'wedding' ring flashed in the light.

Pushing the door open, Shikamaru walked in, glancing around.

The first room was a normal living room, with a couch, a few plants scattered around, and a table.

The next was the kitchen, which was fully stocked(he checked) and the through the next doorway was a bedroom.

 _Room_. Plural. One.

Temari and Shikamaru gulped, sharing a glance.

"I'll take the couch," they both said, then ran for the door.

Once outside, they stopped, looking back at the seemingly innocent looking apartment.

Noting a woman, no doubt a neighbor, curiously studying them, Temari hesitantly waved.

"Uh, just a mouse!" she called, a blush spreading over her cheeks.

The woman's eyes widened and she hurried back into her own house.

Temari slapped a hand to her face, muttering curses.

"Freaking Kazekage and Kokage." She said, dragging her fingers down her face and looking over at Shikamaru, who'd been staring at the apartment.

"So, what should we do, about, er _,_ _that._ " she said, pointing at the doorway with a disdainful narrowing of her blue-ish eyes.

"We need to go inside again sometime," he pointed out, grimacing.

"I suppose." Temari grumbled, lagging as the dark-haired man led the way inside again.

" _I'm_ taking the couch," he said, before slipping off his sandles and flopping onto the aforementioned piece of furniture.

Temari rolled her eyes, then slowly made her way to the door way of the bedroom.

Slipping inside, she sighed, as the teal-eyed woman sat down on the bed.

Darkness fell around them, a silence broken only by the new patter of rain on the roof.

About an hour later, by silent agreement, they each slipped into their respective beds.

But, about an hour later, Temari's silence was shattered, as a huge rumble of thunder shook the house.

She twitched violently, her hands clenching and unclenching, then she sat straight up, back ached as she screamed her terror.

Shika appeared in the doorway, kunai in hand.

The sight of the normally proud woman curled into the fetal position shook him, but he slipped to the side of the bed, shaking him shoulder.

Her head shot up, and the first thing that stuck him, was the glistening trails of tears as they worked themselves down her face.

"G-go away, S-s-shikamaru. It was j-just a nightmare." she said, more tears joining the others on the way down, and her teeth clenched.

"No. You're obviously not fine, so here."

He did something the sandy blond would remember for the rest of her life: He pulled her into his arms, and held her tight until the shaking and tears stopped.

 ** _Well, here it goes!_**


End file.
